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Family baffled over shooting of restaurant cook

MARK I. JOHNSONSTAFF WRITER

Published: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 5:04 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 9:45 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH —There are more questions than answers in the Ruffing home Monday afternoon, almost 24 hours after Joseph A. Ruffing died at Halifax Health Medical Center from a gunshot wound to the back.

"I have no idea why anyone would shoot my son," Ruffing's father, Bill said. "I am just as stumped as you are."

Bill Ruffing said he has been on an emotional train ride since Daytona Beach police came knocking on the door of the Oak Tree Circle apartment Joseph Ruffing shared with his father and his father's fiancee, Tammy Board, in the predawn hours Sunday morning.

After asking if he had a son named Joseph Ruffing, the officer said police had found his body and he had been shot and was at the hospital, Ruffing said at the apartment as he paced back and forth and dragged on a cigarette.

The 28-year-old was shot in the 1000 block of South Nova Road near Forest Glen Boulevard while riding his bicycle Sunday morning about a block away from where he lived in the Nova Glen Apartments, the police report said.

Bill Ruffing admitted he didn't know a great deal about his son's life outside the apartment.

"He was a grown man, we didn't pry into his life," he said, adding about all his son did was work.

"He would work and come home, that was it," Board said. "We would do puzzles and play cards."

Neither Board nor Bill Ruffing said there were ever any angry knocks on the apartment's door and they never heard any raised voices during the victim's telephone conversations in the about two years he lived with them.

"That is why this is such a shock," Bill Ruffing said.

"Joey was a good person, who always put himself second," Board said recalling the time (Joseph) asked if he could bring her something from the store and she asked for a donut. She said he rode his bike to the Dunkin Donuts and brought back a whole box. "He was a good kid. A very kind-hearted kid."

She described the trio as a "normal family that did normal family things."

Joseph Ruffing worked at the Port Orange Olive Garden restaurant, about a seven mile bike ride. A woman identified as the manager said Monday afternoon she could not talk about an employee and referred calls seeking information to a corporate spokesperson.

"He loved cooking," said Bill Ruffing, also a cook, said of his son. "That was his passion."

Ruffing said the only good thing about the shooting was doctors told the family Joseph Ruffing never felt anything prior to his death about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

He said it was comforting having family and friends around his son during his last hours.

Ruffing and Board said since Sunday morning's knock on their apartment door, they have heard nothing from the Daytona Beach police investigators working on Joseph Ruffing's case.

"All we know is what we have seen on television or read in the newspaper," he said.

Police Chief Mike Chitwood did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the status of the investigation Monday afternoon.

The initial report said officers arrived at the crime scene at 5:37 a.m. Sunday after a resident called about "a person laying on the ground."

The report states the man heard a single gunshot and saw Ruffing, who had not yet been identified, face down and his bicycle a short distance away.

"He ran back to get his cellphone and then went over to see if he could render aid while talking to the victim," according to the report. "He received no response."

Ruffing was shot once, the report states, and had entry and exit wounds in his stomach and back.

"It appears he was shot while riding his bicycle and either fell or jumped off," according to the report. "(He) tried to flee on foot, as he was about 30 feet away from the bicycle."

Investigators are trying to determine if Ruffing knew his assailant, or whether the shooting was random.

Ruffing has had run-ins in the past with police, but has not been arrested since 2007.

<p>DAYTONA BEACH &mdash;There are more questions than answers in the Ruffing home Monday afternoon, almost 24 hours after Joseph A. Ruffing died at Halifax Health Medical Center from a gunshot wound to the back. </p><p>"I have no idea why anyone would shoot my son," Ruffing's father, Bill said. "I am just as stumped as you are." </p><p>Bill Ruffing said he has been on an emotional train ride since Daytona Beach police came knocking on the door of the Oak Tree Circle apartment Joseph Ruffing shared with his father and his father's fiancee, Tammy Board, in the predawn hours Sunday morning. </p><p>After asking if he had a son named Joseph Ruffing, the officer said police had found his body and he had been shot and was at the hospital, Ruffing said at the apartment as he paced back and forth and dragged on a cigarette. </p><p>The 28-year-old was shot in the 1000 block of South Nova Road near Forest Glen Boulevard while riding his bicycle Sunday morning about a block away from where he lived in the Nova Glen Apartments, the police report said. </p><p>Bill Ruffing admitted he didn't know a great deal about his son's life outside the apartment. </p><p>"He was a grown man, we didn't pry into his life," he said, adding about all his son did was work. </p><p>"He would work and come home, that was it," Board said. "We would do puzzles and play cards." </p><p>Neither Board nor Bill Ruffing said there were ever any angry knocks on the apartment's door and they never heard any raised voices during the victim's telephone conversations in the about two years he lived with them. </p><p>"That is why this is such a shock," Bill Ruffing said. </p><p>"Joey was a good person, who always put himself second," Board said recalling the time (Joseph) asked if he could bring her something from the store and she asked for a donut. She said he rode his bike to the Dunkin Donuts and brought back a whole box. "He was a good kid. A very kind-hearted kid." </p><p>She described the trio as a "normal family that did normal family things." </p><p>Joseph Ruffing worked at the Port Orange Olive Garden restaurant, about a seven mile bike ride. A woman identified as the manager said Monday afternoon she could not talk about an employee and referred calls seeking information to a corporate spokesperson. </p><p>"He loved cooking," said Bill Ruffing, also a cook, said of his son. "That was his passion." </p><p>Ruffing said the only good thing about the shooting was doctors told the family Joseph Ruffing never felt anything prior to his death about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. </p><p>He said it was comforting having family and friends around his son during his last hours. </p><p>Ruffing and Board said since Sunday morning's knock on their apartment door, they have heard nothing from the Daytona Beach police investigators working on Joseph Ruffing's case. </p><p>"All we know is what we have seen on television or read in the newspaper," he said. </p><p>Police Chief Mike Chitwood did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the status of the investigation Monday afternoon. </p><p>The initial report said officers arrived at the crime scene at 5:37 a.m. Sunday after a resident called about "a person laying on the ground." </p><p>The report states the man heard a single gunshot and saw Ruffing, who had not yet been identified, face down and his bicycle a short distance away. </p><p>"He ran back to get his cellphone and then went over to see if he could render aid while talking to the victim," according to the report. "He received no response." </p><p>Ruffing was shot once, the report states, and had entry and exit wounds in his stomach and back. </p><p>"It appears he was shot while riding his bicycle and either fell or jumped off," according to the report. "(He) tried to flee on foot, as he was about 30 feet away from the bicycle." </p><p>Investigators are trying to determine if Ruffing knew his assailant, or whether the shooting was random. </p><p>Ruffing has had run-ins in the past with police, but has not been arrested since 2007.</p>